What causes Cushing's syndrome?

Cushing's syndrome often develops as a side effect of treatment with corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are widely used to reduce inflammation and treat autoimmune conditions (where the immune system malfunctions and attacks healthy tissue).

People who take high doses of corticosteroids, long-term, often have a build-up of cortisol in their blood. This type of Cushing's syndrome is sometimes called iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome.

A less common cause of Cushing's syndrome is where a tumour (growth) develops inside one of the body's glands, causing it to produce an excessive amount of hormones. This type of Cushing's syndrome is known as endogenous Cushing's syndrome.

Treating Cushing's syndrome

The main treatment for iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome is to decrease or withdraw the use of corticosteroids. However, this must be done gradually to avoid any unpleasant side effects.

For endogenous Cushing's syndrome, surgery to remove the tumour is usually recommended. If surgery is unsuccessful, or it is not possible to remove the tumour safely, medication can be used to counter the effects of the high cortisol levels.

Although treatment is effective, it can take some time to bring the symptoms under control. Anytime from a few weeks to a few years in some cases.

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